Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1887-01-15
ANOTHER PRESIDENT.
JOHE NJ JAOksOS, HEAD or rms
sUROOL BUAsD rwO YRsRs.
the Erection OF tho nigh school Under His al.
MISUNDERSTANDING - Director Th,r,y-
Threo Years Br,ef shetch ot ~.
Career-u,s 0 .iness Ventures

John w. Jackson was president Of the
Lancaster school board only two years, hav-
Ing taken his scat on the 9th Of November,
1873, and relnquished II the tth OF November,
1875
During his brief presidency many import.
ant school measures were considered. Tho
board by unanimous vote passed strong
resolutions against the enactment Of q bill
pending In the legislature for the erection OF
''schooi commission" to select uniform series
OF tcat books for all the public schools of the
state, ~ being job tor the handling of millions
OF the school funds Another important
matter agitated and finally secured under
Mr.. Jsokson's presidency was the erection
OF our beautiful high school building on
West Orange street. The German and Eng
lish school Was established and graded. Tho
school site on Rookland street was purchased
and the contract for the erection OF the school
building awarded. An additional temporary
secondary school was established In Bocher's
building, Centre Square. The rules for the
government Of the board and OF the schools
were revised and tie curriculum OF the high
school amended.
Mr.. Jackson was an impartial presiding
officer, but was not 10 familiar with parlih-
mentary law as some others and could not
dispatch business with the same rapidity.
hut while his presidential term was brief
his mem betship was longer than any OF his
co-laborers In tho Lancaster school board.
He WAS elected on the 3ist of August, ls.g
to nm vacancy caused by the resignation
Of Rev. Mr.. Bahnson, ana renamed q
member until November, lsS2-s period OF
more than 80 yesrs-snd during all this time
he was one OF the most active members He
served on all the important committees,
anI fnY hall ns Ia.
finance, experimenting, property and
other committees. He was a good clerk
and the minutes OF tho board show that for
many years he was called upon to draw up
the important annual statistical aud annual
reporiA His voice and vote were ever on
the side Of better schools and more OF them
and when physical disability seemed 10
make IL necessary for him TO leave the board
there was general feeling Of regret on the
part Of his associates.
The board at its sd Journed meeting held
on November 9Gh, 1884, passed the following
resolution unanimously
Resolped, That the board part with great
regret with the services Of Ohm W. Jackson,
who for = long period served as one of its
members with great usefulness and ell.
cheney
BRIEF SKETCH OF Mr.. JACKsos's LIPE.
John w. Jackson was born In Maryland,
and WAS brought 10 Lancaster by his mother
when he WAS q mere child. When only
seven years old he WAS put 10 work in the
" old factory" at tho foot of Rooklsnd street.
A few years later he was employed as errsnd
boy in the dry goods store of Mr.. Hotfmeier,
on North Queen street, where B Il. Shreln.
er's music store now stands He was soon
advanced to a clerkship and remained with
Mr.. Hodmeier until about 1910, when he be-
came salesman In the comb aud variety
store of John Shafiner, then carried on In
tho building now occupied a. q Iewelry store
by b. z. Shreiner
Here he remained until lsi5, when he and
the late Michael Zshm bought out Mr. Shaft.
ner's establishment, aud carried on the Jew.
elry, comb and variety business In which
they were very successful In 1862 they sold
out to Shreiner & Brother, and Mr.. Jackson
accepted a position in the office Of Hon. ThoA
". Burrowes, then secretary of the common.
wealth, and remained with him q year or
two. In 1855 he became connected with the
Inland Insurance and Deposit company, and
was It's cashier for several years. 1t WAS
while be WAS cashier that Elijah Pugh over
drew his accounts heavily and failed to make
good his overdrsfts. Mr.. Jackson was
charged with official negligence aud WAS
sued by the representatives of the institution.
On quitting the Inland, Mr.. Jackson TO.
tired to private life. Seven or eight years
ago he was stricken with paralysis, and had
at intervals several other strokes, which
lsmed him aud affected his speech. In
March, 1885, In descending the stairs from
his led room, he fell and broke the thigh
hone OF his para wed leg, and after suffering
greatly died on the l+th of May, 1886,
Mr.. Jackson was an active politician of the
old Democratic school and from lsi5 TO 1880
the little room in rear of Zahm & Jsckson's
store was the meeting place whore Jackson
and a dozen or more OF others discussed mat
ters Of state. They were anti. Buchanan
Democrats and when Mr.. Buchanan was
nominated for the presidency in 1855 nearly
all them left the party and voted for Ere
mont but Mr.. Jackson remained true to his
dprinciples and supported the Democratic
ticket.
In 1857 Mr.. Jackson was elected city treas
u-er and served scceptsbly for ono or two
yeara
When the Southern states seeded and the
civil war followed, Mr.. Jackson gave support
10 mr. Lincoln's government, and though
not regarded as strong party man generally
voted the Republican ticket.
Mr.. jackson lived and died a bachelor. He
WAS man OF generous impulses and WAS 70.
garded AZ a very pleasant companion In the
circle In which he moved. Notwithstanding
the few educational advantages he had In bis
boyhood he was q well-informed and fairly
educs,ed man, and took a warm interest In
the public schools and other educational In.
.Atitutiona His religion was OF liberal and
unsectarian character, and It was not until a
short time before his death that he connected
himself with the MoIavian church.
1t may be noticed ss a curious circumstance
that Mr.. Jackson's death occurred In the
sAme building which for more than half a